14 feared drowned in Buxar boat capsize

BUXAR: At least 14 persons, most of them woman workers and children, are feared drowned as a boat carrying them capsized in the Ganga near Chausa Bazar ghat under Mufassil police station of Buxar district on Tuesday.

The incident happened when the victims were returning to Chausa from Paliya village in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. Eight persons were rescued from the river and are being treated at Sadar hospital, Buxar. No body could be fished out till the time of reporting. The boat reportedly had 22 passengers against the capacity of only 10.

On receipt of information, Buxar DM Raman Kumar, along with SP rushed to the accident site to assist in rescue work. The DM said, "We are trying to fish out the bodies with the assistance of Ghazipur administration." The DM has sought NDRF personnel from Patna. So far, three boats and some local divers have been pressed into rescue work.

All the victims were residents of Nayazipur village of Chousa block and had gone to work as farm worker in the tomato fields at Paliya village in Ghazipur district. More than 100 villagers and kin of victims have gathered at the Chausa ghat.